ARTICLE - PETIT-GOAVE - NOTRE-DAME HOSPITAL

DEPLORABLE SITUATION AT NOTRE-DAME HOSPITAL OF PETIT-GOAVE
(Haiti Libre) -

During an interview with Radio FM Preference, Luke Francois aka "Louco", a well-known person in Petit-Goâve, delivered the report on his visit to the Notre-Dame Hospital of Petit-Goâve, after the tragic accident of April 7.

"Following the tragedy of Saturday, April 7, 2012, I went to Notre Dame Hospital, in order to inquire of the problems that causes the malfunction of this institution for several years. I checked and learned personally new things: no blood bank, the ER is not functional, it is dirty and gives off bad odors. I saw a few doctors of goodwill always present at work, especially those from the city and other young doctors trained in Cuba.

Very often, many people say that doctors assigned to this hospital do not work. I say it is wrong to say that the doctors do not work,... there is a shortage of doctors [...]

Moreover, from Monday to Wednesday, if a pregnant woman has a problem, she can not find a gynecologist at Notre-Dame Hospital, because Dr. Jean Charles, comes every Wednesday and leaves on Thursday. Another doctor takes over and also leaves the hospital on Friday and Saturday [...] Meanwhile, if a patient has a complication, she must be transported elsewhere.

For 5 years, the Notre-Dame Hospital which is the second hospital of reference for the Western Department, is deprived of an anesthetist, surgeon and internist. Unfortunately, the Cuban surgeons have abandoned Petit-Goâve for the benefit of the community hospital of Grand Goâve, as part of the Chavez-Castro program.

The Medical Laboratory lacks manpower, the number of employees has been reduced to 2, while there were formerly 9. Only trainees come to the aid of this laboratory, which should normally operate 24/7. The pharmacy is almost empty, and the courtyard of the hospital is poorly maintained.

For now, the Notre-Dame Hospital has only two regular doctors, Mr. and Mrs. Cayemithe, who have been working there for 25 years [...] They are 55 years of age and have reached the retirement age [...] They suffer from hypertension since the passage of the January 2010 earthquake. They practically are not working [...] These days, they have stopped coming, and they should be replaced. The hospital has no head nurse. The one who plays that role, does not receive her salary. She works in an NGO...

Absent for several days, the Director General, Dr. Lesly Pierre Paul, did not delegate any power of decision to the administrator or the chief of staff. He acts always alone by excluding his close collaborators. He participates currently in training courses and does not even live in the city..."

Following this visit, Luc François asked the Department of Public Health and Population, to take all necessary measures to solve all the problems that paralyze the smooth running of the Hospital Notre-Dame of Petit-Goâve.